I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 395: Side Story - Dearly Missed Memories

Dream.

If you asked Aria Rias about her dreams, she said she no longer dreamed.

Eleanor Luden Griffin would answer that dreams were trials she had to overcome, calling them fate.

Meanwhile, Erica Bright didn’t dwell much on dreams.

So then, if you were to ask Owen Valtany what a dream was to him…

“Ah.”

The answer would be “It was the past.”

“Again.”

The boy had overslept again today. It wasn’t because the palace bedroom was too comfortable or because he was tired from overworking yesterday.

After a quick wash, Owen stepped outside, shaking off the lingering feeling of being in a dream and pulling himself together.

The trials given by the bishops still remained, so today was the day he would travel to a distant region to resolve them.

A female ghost appeared from a well, wasn’t it?

Because of her, the villagers couldn’t even drink water and those who unknowingly drank it had fallen ill.

It was clearly a case for a Soul Whisperer.

“Oh, you’re here?”

A man was waiting for Owen. With tanned skin, blond hair, and standing at least 180cm tall, he exuded a charm that anyone, regardless of gender, would find appealing.

However, the accessories on his hands and neck revealed his love for luxury, and the kiss mark on his nape was evidence of his less-than-clean romantic history.

“God Velas.”

His name was Velas.

Once the god of festivals and joy, he now traveled across the continent with Owen as a sort of assistant.

When asked why he was doing this, he said it was because he wanted to witness the story of the boy carrying on the legacy of the Soul Whisperer, Deus Verdi.

Owen had initially been wary, but surprisingly, Velas was quite helpful, so now they traveled together like partners.

“You don’t look so good. Did you have that dream again?”

“…Yes.”

Seeing Owen hesitate, Velas clicked his tongue.

“It’s a nightmare, then.”

Velas said it was fair to call it a nightmare if it was affecting his daily life to this extent.

“No way.”

Owen firmly denied it. It wasn’t a nightmare. It was just so sweet that he wanted to forget reality.

However, Velas crossed his arms and declared coldly.

“Look at you, unable to escape from that sweet dream, ruining your reality. That’s what we call a nightmare. To you, it’s no different from a drug.”

“…Don’t talk about my memories with them like that.”

Owen walked past Velas and headed to the dining hall. He planned to eat before setting off, and Velas shrugged and followed behind.

The dream Owen Valtany had every day was always different.

Today was a memory of him playing the melodica in a carriage, with the Dark Spiritualist praising him and Deus sitting across, looking at him proudly.

It was a real memory from the past.

The dreams Owen Valtany had were memories from when he followed the Soul Whisperer Deus Verdi and adventured across the continent.

He casually grabbed the sandwich and sat at the table. The dining area for the royal palace servants was quiet, perhaps because it was already late morning.

“Today, we have to go to the village where the woman who drowned by the well is cursing. Since it’s far, let’s hurry and eat.”

“Sigh, this simple meal is really not my style.”

Even though he said that, Velas started eating the sandwich, following Owen.

He ate half of the sandwich in one bite, making smacking noises as he muttered.

“It’s not as bad as I thought?”

I-it’s not bad at all?

Suddenly.

Velas’ voice overlapped with Owen’s younger self’s voice from the past.

Though his voice now had a deeper tone, with a noticeable Adam’s apple and a low pitch due to puberty, back then, it was a clear, boyish voice.

What? Not bad? That’s a bit rude, you little…

After drinking the tea that Big Sis Findenai made, he responded that way, causing her to immediately scrunch her face in doubt.

N-no, I didn’t mean it like that…

No? What do you mean no? I’ll make sure to boil it again after giving it to Master Bastard.

Are you really going to give it to him?

I can tell from that look on your face, you little bastard. You’re done for.

As he thought about Findenai, who used to torment him, he stopped eating the sandwich and smiled contentedly.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

However, the boy was awakened by Velas’ call and hurriedly stuffed the sandwich into his mouth, trying to hide his awkward expression and the thoughts he had been having.

“Are we going right now?”

“No, I’m going to play a song on the rooftop first. I don’t know what might happen while I’m gone.”

“You’re thorough.”

Since he would be away for a while, Owen thought it would be a good idea to comfort any potential ghosts that might appear by playing music.

He headed towards the piano on the rooftop, which had become a trademark of the Griffin royal family.

In fact, it could be considered his own personal piano. He sat down in the chair and started playing the keys.

This was one of the reasons Velas followed Owen around.

“It’s always so sweet every time I hear it.”

It was entirely due to Owen’s skillful performance; even he, who usually spoke and acted casually, now closed his eyes and listened intently to the music.

It was such a skilled performance.

Owen himself thought his skills had improved to an incomparable level compared to the past.

Great.

Maybe that was why.

You’ve improved a lot.

He felt as if he could hear the voice of Deus Verdi, who had been silently watching him play the piano from behind.

Soul Whisperer!

His younger self called out to him once more.

You’re doing well enough, but rest is important too. Taking a break from playing for a day wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Stella, who had been beside him, added a comment.

That’s right. Owen, working too hard isn’t always the best thing.

Yes! I understand!

The next day, he remembered spending time playing cards with the Dark Spiritualist.

“Hh, ugh.”

The smooth melody, which had flowed like silk, crumbled. His fingers had tensed up too much while pressing the keys, leaving them unable to move.

Instead, tears fell onto the piano keys, spilling out his emotions.

“I…”

How could…

“I want to go back.”

…the happy times end so quickly?

Even though there had been many hardships and heartbreaking moments during the times he spent with everyone.

“I want to go back. To those days… to the time when we were all together.”

He still wanted to return to those joyful days.

He wished the memories and stories he had shared with them would never end.

However, no matter how much he wished.

In the end, the time had come to an end.

Owen Valtany was left alone.

And that loneliness was unbearable.

[Huh? Why are you crying?]

A voice called out.

It was clear and real, unlike the ones he had heard in his dreams or imagination.

The voice pierced through the air, playful yet oblivious to the mood.

He quickly turned his head before he even had the chance to wipe his tears.

[Wow, you’ve really grown a lot, huh? Do boys always grow this fast? You’re already as tall as Stella.]

There stood the Dark Soul Whisperer, grinning with her tongue playfully sticking out.

[Senior, you’re about the same height as me.]

A warm, gentle woman’s voice followed from behind.

When he turned toward it, there stood Stella, smiling softly, raising a hand in greeting.

[Hello, Owen. That was a wonderful performance.]

“Wonderful, my ass. Why did you suddenly start bawling?”

Findenai clicked her tongue, grumbling right beside her.

And beyond her—

“Ah…”

That person stood there, watching him with a stern expression, measuring his growth.

At some point, it was no longer his grandfather he was chasing after but this new figure.

He was no longer watching over Owen as Deus Verdi but as Kim Shinwoo.

Owen ran toward him as their eyes met and threw himself into his arms.

“Lord Soul Whisperer—!”

Tears had already begun to spill. The emotions surging within him had become too overwhelming to suppress.

His weaknesses, his shortcomings—they were all exposed, but he didn’t care.

No matter how much he would be scolded later, he was just happy to see him again.

“Owen.”

A hand gently rested on top of his head.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Kim Shinwoo didn’t push him away, but he also didn’t embrace him, just like in the past.

And then, after a short moment—

Once Owen had calmed down enough to wipe his tears, he looked up at Kim Shinwoo.

“Did you learn Black Magic?”

The question, which he had expected, finally came. Owen swallowed hard before answering.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Though Kim Shinwoo had always told him not to, he was now still willing to listen to his reason. That alone gave Owen a small sense of relief.

“Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to follow in your footsteps.”

“…”

“Lord Soul Whisperer, I keep wavering.”

Tears welled up again.

He didn’t think he used to be this prone to crying. The boy who once only played music now found himself burdened with endless thoughts.

“I have to follow your path… but I keep hesitating, stumbling. Compared to you, I am far too weak.”

That was why he had learned necromancy.

Out of desperation, clinging to whatever he could to stay afloat.

It might not have been the best choice, but at the time, it was the only one he could see.

“The ghosts oppress me. Outsiders point fingers at me. The bishops constantly test me with their strict standards.”

The tears he shed and the emotions he spilled could have been called a tantrum of sorts.

However, the people here listened to the boy’s story.

To outsiders, as a candidate for Soul Whisperer, he had to maintain his dignity and never falter.

But in front of them, he was just little Owen.

“Lord Soul Whisperer… My conviction isn’t as grand as yours. I am not as steadfast as you. I am weak. I get swept away by everything around me!”

“…”

“Please, help me. Lord Soul Whisperer, please… please help me.”

Owen fell to his knees, pouring out the emotions that had built up inside him.

“I want to go back! Back to when I was simply following you! Back to when I traveled the continent, playing music by your side!”

Had there ever been a time as joyful as that? When he didn’t have to worry about anything, only chasing after Deus Verdi’s back?

However, when he disappeared, Owen felt like an empty shell of a person.

Watching him now—

“Are you thinking of giving up?”

Kim Shinwoo finally spoke.

Just one question.

Owen slowly lifted his head, meeting his gaze.

His merciful eyes seemed to say—if that’s truly what you want, then I will accept it.

But… was that really what Owen wanted?

The moment he realized he could end everything, an unexpected sense of rejection rose within him.

Kim Shinwoo noticed this, smiling as he knelt on one knee, lowering himself to Owen’s level.

“It’s natural to waver.”

Because I did, too.

“It’s natural to fall.”

Because I did, too.

“We are bound to break. Humans aren’t as strong as we think.”

He had lost count of how many times he cried, how many times he despaired, how many times he suffered.

“And just because we die, it doesn’t mean we become wise enough to let go of our regrets.” ”

At some point, he had become someone who could not survive unless he killed his own emotions.

“Owen, what is it that you truly desire?”

Owen knew this question all too well. It was the one that person always asked when he was comforting lost souls.

But hearing it directed at him—he felt as if his very soul had been pierced.

The fog of confusion that clouded his heart began to clear, and what remained was the image of a man.

A man who stood tall, unyielding, living by the convictions he had forged himself.

A respected figure who scattered influence to many.

A great person.

“A-a Soul Whisperer…”

The reason he never gave up, no matter how difficult it was. Because there was a future he saw and dreamed of.

“I want to become a Soul Whisperer, like you.”

Kim Shinwoo smiled softly as he looked at Owen, who made this declaration.

“It will be hard.”

Many dangers, pressures, and threats to life would come Owen’s way.

“You will miss it.”

He would miss the time when he could just follow without thinking, simply doing as he was told.

“You will wish that the story would continue forever.”

That time.

In truth, Owen wished the time he spent traveling around the continent with everyone would last forever.

“But that cannot happen.”

However, the man who was at the center of that story…

“In the end, that story must come to an end.”

He denied it.

“Our story is over. What’s left is you.”

That man was telling him that it was time to move forward, teaching him that good times couldn’t last forever.

“Owen Valtany.”

Kim Shinwoo, who had embraced the boy tightly, truly entrusted everything to him.

“Do not look at my back. Now, walk your own path.”

“…”

“Everything that comes to you will flow as your own story from now on.”

Joy, happiness, trials, and frustrations.

“In the end, you will overcome everything and become a great person, boy.”

His words, like a prophecy, touched Owen’s heart deeply.

Similarly, the strength in Owen’s hands, which had been holding on, loosened.

“I will wait while looking forward to that day.”

It was as if he instinctively knew it was time to let go.

“In the place you can’t see.”

Kim Shinwoo also let go of his hand. Then he turned his body.

He thought that if he said anything more, it might become another burden for Owen.

[He said this, but.]

Following Kim Shinwoo, who was leaving, the Dark Spiritualist passed by Owen with a smile.

[Still, come visit anytime. You are always welcome, Owen!]

“Dark Spiritualist.”

[We had fun, didn’t we? So just come and visit anytime! If you miss the past, you can just visit to play us again!]

The Dark Spiritualist gave a thumbs-up before chasing after Kim Shinwoo.

“Sigh, you may have grown, but you’re still just a little kid.”

Findenai, who had been watching their conversation from the side, clicked her tongue but still ruffled Owen’s hair roughly.

“Kiddo, only our story has ended. Yours is just beginning.”

“Big Sis…”

“Don’t forget that. Well, if you start heading in a weird direction, I can always come and punch you in the face.”

The rough hand that had been ruffling his hair left.

[Owen.]

Lastly, Saintess Stella stayed behind while smiling softly.

[Because it was fun, it’s only natural to feel regret.]

She too.

[So don’t be too sad.]

With a warm smile, she clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture and offered her advice.

[If you think about it the other way.]

She smiled.

[Feeling a lot of regret just means you had that much fun.]

And then, she left, too.

It had been a dream-like time.

However, Owen slowly stood up.

He did not linger in its afterglow.

“Sniff.”

Swallowing his tears, he clenched his fist and stood up.

“Let’s go, Velas.”

He then took a step forward. To fulfill his duty as a Soul Whisperer, to write the first sentence of Owen Valtany’s story.

***

[But didn’t you have something to say to Velas?]

The Dark Spiritualist mumbled as we walked back home. She wasn’t wrong, and I did intend to say something to him.

“Forget it. He seems to be doing a good job helping Owen.”

However, if he couldn’t come because he was assisting Owen, I decided to just let it slide.

[Still, I hope Owen doesn’t use Black Magic.]

[Are you ignoring Black Magic?!]

The Dark Spiritualist cut in, shouting, but I ignored her and answered.

“He’ll figure it out. Learning through trial and error is important, too.”

Owen would eventually find his true path and let go of Black Magic. It didn’t suit him at all, anyway.

“Enough of that. Let’s just go home. Being cooped up in a hotel room is driving me crazy.”

Findenai grumbled.

After eating hotel food for days, she was clearly sick of it.

“Just wait. We’re supposed to have dinner with Erica and the girls.”

Come to think of it, I had meant to invite Owen, too.

Well, he seemed busy, so it can’t be helped.

He was probably caught up in something.

And someday, the story of a boy named Owen Valtany would reach my ears.

[He can come visit a few times, right? I told him to visit.]

“That sounds good.”

Of course, I’d welcome him if he came by to take a break now and then.

“Ugh, dinner? What’s for dinner? I’ve been stuck in a hotel so long I think I’ve gained weight.”

[…That’s actually true?]

The Dark Spiritualist looked at Findenai’s stomach in fascination. She hadn’t noticed it herself, but there was indeed a slight bulge.

“Huh?”

However, the rest of her body looked the same as usual.

[Wait a second.]

Just as Stella, the most knowledgeable among us in this area, was about to approach Findenai—

“Urgh.”

Findenai suddenly covered her mouth as nausea hit.

At that moment, our eyes met, and we all realized we were thinking the same thing.

“Holy shit.”

[W-watch your language!]

The Dark Spiritualist shouted urgently, and Findenai, still dazed, nodded.

“R-right. Ah, damn… Is even this not allowed?”

[First, throw away all the cigarettes.]

“Ugh, sh—! If I’d known sooner, I wouldn’t have smoked this morning!”

Saying that, Findenai immediately pulled out a cigarette and crumpled it.

[I’ll pray for you, so be careful from now on.]

Stella quietly reached out and touched Findenai’s stomach.

“Congrats on becoming a dad?”

Ignoring Stella, Findenai grinned and looked at me.

It was all a bit bewildering.

Could I get her pregnant when I had a mental body?

I had my doubts.

[…Findenai? This is just from overeating.]

However, Stella’s words shattered the illusion.

[She ate too much greasy food, so her stomach’s upset. She’s just being dramatic.]

[You can use the bad words again now.]

“Damn it, this sucks.”

Findenai immediately cursed, but then, feeling regretful, she rubbed her stomach.

She looked at me and shouted.

“Ah, what a shame. I just can’t do this anymore. From now on, I’m quitting smoking and swearing.”

“Huh?”

“Because I’m going to get pregnant today. Damn it, let’s go make a baby right now.”

Then she grabbed my wrist and started dragging me toward the hotel.

[Wow, wowwww! She’s cutting in line!]

[…Let’s tell Ms. Erica we’re eating at the hotel tonight.]

The Dark Spiritualist and Stella quickly followed behind.

“…”

I was not sure if she could really get pregnant.

“What should we name the baby? You’re good at naming things, aren’t you?”

The street bathed in the sunset as Findenai pulled me toward the end of it, asking me that question.

“We’ll think about it later.”

I smiled and responded.

–The End–

***

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